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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #913
> Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 17:19:10 -0600
> From: Cameron <ccase22 at mail_com>
> Subject: Ramshorns
>
> Will ramshorn snails eat my plants? If it matters any, the plants in
question are Ludwigia repens, Egeria densa (is that right? or is it Elodea
densa), Cabomba caroliniana, Didiplis diandra, Echinodorus sp.
"Ozelot", a tiny bit of Vesicularia dubyana, and Sagittaria subulatta.
> Sorry for any misspellings.
Yes, they will eat plants if you have a lot of them, and you will have a lot
of them because they reproduce so rapidly! In my experience, they eat any
of the softer-leaved plants, including swords, but will say way from crypts
and Anubias. They won't bother your Java moss. My ramshorns especially
love Hygro polysperma.
>
> If they won't eat my plants (or even if they will), do they eat algae?
They do eat algae.
> All I have are a few tiny green spots on the back glass, but will they
eat that?
Probably, but then you'll go after your plants.
If not, do I need to feed them, and what? Of course, if they will eat my
plants these are all moot, as they won't go in anyway (they are living in my
quarantine tank now).
Ramshorns won't eat your plants to the extent that mystery and apple snails
do, but they will create ugly little holes. They will do quite a number on
plants they really like.
If you only have a few spots, I wouldn't worry about them.
I regret the day I ever introduced ramshorns into my tanks. I have to
regularly remove dozens of them.
People say that MTSs only come out at night and don't eat plants. That may
be true in many cases, but not when you have a population explosion. When
I've had population explosions, I've witnessed them munching on my plants
during the day.
I think folks are wise to stay away from snails all together.
Mary